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Possibly the most wonderful thing about TIFF is their dedication to providing access to films that aren’t widely available or, worse yet, may simply have been forgotten. Canadian Open Vault is a programme that is dedicated to doing just that. Its mandate is to “make our country’s rich cinematic heritage more accessible to our audiences.” Occurring once every season, Canadian Open Vault turns its eye this winter to the 1986 film Dancing in the Dark, an adaptation of the Joan Barfoot novel of the same name, about the collapse of a woman’s inner and outer world, as she attempts to rationalize her life as a housewife.

The film centers around Edna (Martha Henry), a homemaker and wife. When we meet Edna, she is in a hospital, only slightly above catatonic. She is assisted in rising, bathing and eating. She does not speak. She does, however, write prolifically in a notebook. As she writes, we begin to witness her life before the hospital: a happy home life wherein she dotes on her husband, slavishly cleaner her home, prepares perfect dinners, exercises to maintain her figure, and listens to music, her one and only personal indulgence.

The film tells its story largely in voiceover. The viewer watches in an almost voyeuristic manner as Edna goes about the business of her day. We watch and listen as she dusts the leaves of living room plants, polishes banisters and vacuums in her mausoleum-like home while she thinks about her life with her husband, Harry (portrayed by Neil Munro). She ponders her attraction to him. She notes how Harry is all she needs in order to make her life perfect. She hints at the breakdown of the relationship, noting that, somehow, love seeped out through cracks she didn’t know were there.

The contently-stoic Genie-winning performance by Martha Henry is truly one of Canadian cinema’s best. Henry, whose resume is not inconsiderable, brought her incredible stage presence to this role, which is almost entirely an internal one. While there is no specific bias noted in the film, Henry’s performance seems to play towards the female viewers in the audience. Edna’s description of her life and her attempts to sort through all that has happened to her, never rings with pity, only earnest confusion, which is what makes this film so special. Steve Gravestock, Associate Director of Canadian Programming at TIFF, notes “It’s rare that this subject has been addressed so effectively or atmospherically as it has in Dancing… it digs very deep into the victim’s own elaborate rationalizations and obsessions (especially with cleaning); phenomena which block her own awareness of her situation. That’s ultimately what makes the film so troubling, at least for me.”

Director Leon Marr, who also adapted the screenplay from the novel, spoke about why he wanted to make this film. “I read a book review in the Star – ‘Housewife’s harrowing descent into madness.’ which intrigued me. When I read the book, I was struck by how cinematic it was – I was flooded with images, all of which are in the final film. And was fascinated by the story which took me inside the mind of a woman who would I would have absolutely no interest in in the real world. It really appealed to me.”

When it seems that there are so many stories like this told in media and popular culture today, it seems that we are oversaturated with the entertainment side of women’s lib, rather than looking at its actual ramifications. Of this phenomenon, Gravestock says “In many ways, I think things have gotten worse in the way films and media cover women’s issues, with less and less material from a feminist perspective or critique. Sure, there’s plenty of films and TV shows directed towards women, but — except for the frankness – stuff like The View and its ilk could easily have been produced in the 1950s. And, although there are some great exceptions (Sarah Polley’s two films for instance), movies might even be in worse shape.”

Dancing in the Dark is a film that has only grown in poignancy and relevance as time has passed, and it certainly stands out as one of Canada’s best. This makes it an obvious choice for Canadian Open Valut, and should not be missed. Not available on DVD and certainly a film that is better seen in a theatre, where the hollowness and despair cannot be escaped, it would be a shame to miss this opportunity, especially when the film will be introduced by Martha Henry and Leon Marr.

Dancing in the Dark screens tonight, Wednesday, January 25 at 7:30 pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Check TIFF’s website for showtimes and tickets.